Ten Years Later
by booksroc
Summary: Alternate universe, Edward leaves Bella and comes back ten years later. One shot, Bella's POV


I sat in our apartment in Port Angeles East, knitting a blanket for the baby on the way. Jacob was off on a camping trip with Delilah, our four year old girl. They were coming back tonight.

I smiled, remembering when Jacob had surprised me by proposing to me at my college graduation, and I remembered how happy Charlie and Renée had been. We had to wait two years for Jacob to finish his Masters, and get his business off the ground. Now we were living happily with his successful car repair shop, and our one (soon to be two) child.

Then I heard a knock at the door. I stood up with a little difficulty, and answered.

There was a pale, beautiful boy with flowers in his hands. He had probably gotten the wrong address for his date. But I could have sworn I had seen him before, but where? His eyes, gold, oh gosh! I knew these eyes, I just couldn't place them. I stared at him.

"Is Bella Swan here?" he asked. Oh! His voice! velvety and soft! This was driving me crazy. Where had I heard it before?

"It's Bella Black now. What do you need her for?" Maybe Jacob had sent me flowers and given them as my maiden name. It would be just like him. I reached out to grab them when he dropped them. Didn't they train florist people _not _to do that?

"Bella?" he squeaked. Then it hit me.

"Edward?" I cried. "Edward Cullen?" God, he hadn't changed a bit! Well, of course he hadn't, he was a freaking vampire. How had I not recognize him?So much for a girl never forgetting her first boyfriend. "Edward, what are you doing here? how did you find me? I mean-what-" I couldn't get anything out. I hadn't seen him for ten years when he left me in the forest. He was smiling at my stumbling. I was frightened for a moment, that I might be attracted to him, and was happy to find that I wasn't.

"I started in Forks. I asked Charlie where you were, and he didn't tell me of course, but I could hear his thoughts, and he said Port Angeles East. So I went here and tried to find a house that I couldn't hear thoughts coming from." He smiled at me. "You've changed."

"No shit Sherlock," I said. "Could it be perhaps that I'm pregnant? Or that maybe I looked a little more domestic?"

"No, um..." he trailed off for a moment. "Let's just say that I'm sorry. I love you more than anything and I was an idiot leaving you in those woods."

"And what? You wanted me to leap into your arms and kiss you and say that I forgive you? It's been ten years since you've left. A lot of things can happen in ten years.

"I dated Mike Newton for a while- oh don't give me that look! Yeah, I dated him, Eric and a few other guys that I found somewhat appealing. But guess why? Well, in the beginning it was so Alice could see me making out with these guys and then telling you, and then you would come back. Then I started dating people to date people. and then Jacob Black asked me out." I smiled. "And, before I knew it, I found myself falling in love with him. It's rather funny, isn't it? I had planned you were going to be the one that I would have sex with first, marry and have my life with. But I guess not. I lost my virginity to this boy named Randy Gollman. I went to Cincinnati college. I have a daughter, and another one on the way. I'm married to Jacob Black. Would you even want me to leave them for you? Knowing all of eternity or whatever that my children and husband were somewhere, broken by the fact that I left them for a younger man?"

He opened and closed his mouth and said "I didn't think you would be married."

"You didn't even think I would _let go_ of you? Even after you told me too? Edward, it's ten years to late. I'm sorry. Find some other girl or something. I'm happy. I don't need to be a vampire anymore. I can die, even right now, knowing that my life has been beautiful and wonderful because Jacob was in it. I got everything I wanted, with the extra bow on top."

Just then a car pulled into the driveway. Oh dear, how was I going to explain myself out of this? I glanced at the flowers on the ground and picked them up and gave them to him. "Just follow my lead."

"Mommy!!!" Delilah cried and flew into my arms. Jacob was slower, coming up with a huge smile on his face. He glanced at Edward and looked confused.

"Sorry hon," I said. "This boy got the wrong address. Was trying to find his date and got lost." I was amazed at how easily this lie was coming to me. Jacob bought it though, going up to him and shaking his hand.

"Well good luck son. Will she be worth it?" he asked. Thank God he didn't catch the glance Edward gave me.

"Hopefully," he muttered before getting into his car and driving off.

I stared at the lights flickering in the distance until they disappeared. How different my future could have gone if I had jumped in with him, or had not married, or so many things I had done.

Oh well. It didn't matter now. I was happy, and I was sure that he would be too.


End file.
